German-American Discourse on Politics and Culture

August 12, 2017

German Left Party's Love of Dictators

Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the Left Party (die LINKE), has a few things in common with Donald Trump Both embrace dictators. Both admire, in particular, Vladimir Putin - but for different reasons. Trump admires Putin for running a successful kleptocracy - which Trump himself aspires to - as well as for his imprisonment of regime critics. Wagenknecht sees Putin as an adversary of the United States - ground zero of capitalist evil, in her mind - as well as a counter-force to the hated NATO alliance. Wagenknecht supports any dictator - no matter how brutal - who is a perceived enemy of America. This includes Bashar al-Assad, who murdered over half a million of his own citizens, and - especially - Nicolas Maduro, who has wrecked the economy and democracy of Venezuela:

("She cannot criticize Venezuela, Cuba and Co. because that would mean criticizing herself and her own objectives. They would have to admit that their politics result inexorably in totalitarian structures and lead to economic and social collapse along with collective impoverishment and misery. Venezuela, especially, was again and again held up by the left-wing salon-communists as a shining example of a "humanitarian functioning socialism.")

Nearly two decades of socialist mismanagement have transformed Venezuela from the wealthiest country in Latin America to the poorest - unable now to provide food and basic medical care for its population. The tragedy is entirely self-inflicted - but Sahra Wagenknecht and the delusional German left indulge in wild conspiracy theories involving George Soros and the CIA to blame for the "sabotage" of the Chavista socialist paradise.

Our Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany (Grundgesetz), too, was constituted, and was the result of a sharp reflection of a small group of progressive intellectuals. What would have happened if majorities had decided on our Basic Law? The Krupps, Quants, Springers, Mohns and other German oligarchs would have prevailed their interests with their media power under their control.

This is, what really happens today in Venezuela, Brazil, etc. Always at the forefront: US-Interests.

No surprise that you would support a totalitarian dictatorship - which is what Venezuela has become.

"weil sie um ihre Privilegien fürchten" You mean the privilege of staying alive? People are literally starving to death - and there is no medical care to speak of. The lucky ones are getting out of the country.

Economics 101: you don't impose price controls when you have 700% inflation.